Katrien Segaert

I am a lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham.

I research how the brain enables us to speak and listen to language, and how language processing changes throughout the lifespan.

Some aspects of language processing seem to be negatively affected by ageing (e.g. naming, writing, grammar production), while other language processes (e.g. syntactic comprehension) seem more resistant to age-related decline. My main interest is in the neurobiological infrastructure that underlies the preservation versus decline of language processing. I am working on research projects investigating the neural compensation that may take place to ensure that some language processes remain intact in ageing populations. I am also interested in identifying external factors that could counter age-related decline in language processing, such as fitness and regular exercise.

I also lecture at the University of Birmingham and supervise research projects of PhD students, Master students and Undergraduate students on language, ageing and bilingualism.